1/48 F-104A/C USAF Starfighter

Scale Model F-104A/C USAF Starfighter K48096 Kinetic 1:48

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter - an American supersonic fighter capable of achieving high speeds in level flight and during climb. Used in the interceptor, fighter-bomber and two-seater combat training variants.

The author of the aircraft concept is Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. Due to the insufficient thrust of the engines available at that time, the designers of the F-104 focused on ensuring a low curb weight and the lowest aerodynamic drag of the fighter. The negative features of this solution, such as high surface load and low airfoil elongation, were attempted to be improved by the use of front and rear flaps. This improved features such as the angular velocity of the turn and in-flight maneuverability, but the landing speed was high and landing without an engine running was extremely risky.

The F-104 Starfighter was introduced into service with the US Air Force in 1958, but due to insufficient range, armament and equipment load capacity it was withdrawn as early as 1967. Nevertheless, in a significantly modified version, the F-104 sold well outside the United States and a significant number of these machines were used by the air force of many countries, mainly Germany, Canada and Italy, where they served as a fighter-bomber until the mid-1980s, and in Italy in a modernized version until 2004. The modified versions of the F-104 gained a bad reputation as dangerous and difficult to fly aircraft. The large number of accidents, especially in Germany, was the reason why he was nicknamed the Luftwaffe Witwenmacher (Widowmaker) and, due to his frequent stabbing in the ground, Erdnagel (tent herring). From the seventies it was replaced with more modern aircraft (including the F-16). A total of 2,578 units were produced.

The plane owed many features to its small span, very high load on the surface of the airfoil and its very thin profile. These features, on the one hand, determined the good speed parameters of the aircraft, but on the other hand, made it limited maneuverability, especially the angular speed of the turn, high landing speed. The latter feature, with a short landing gear travel, was the cause of many disasters (especially during the plane trials and struggling with the phenomenon of J-79 engine pumping) and an emergency landing with this machine without a working engine.